


To Bargain With Death

by klavscaroline



Series: Of Gods and Monsters [2]
Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries & Related Fandoms, The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore Fusion, F/M, Human Caroline Forbes, If Persephone were human, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:07:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26406970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klavscaroline/pseuds/klavscaroline
Summary: "The gods have no mercy, that's why they're gods" That was, until he met her.In which Klaus is the God of Death who encounters a mortal soul trespassing into the Underworld in search of her mother. (Based loosely on Hades/Persephone)
Relationships: Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson
Series: Of Gods and Monsters [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1792414
Comments: 44
Kudos: 103





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote the first two chapters last year and I felt compelled to continue after I made a story cover for this that I actually feel proud of. Hope you enjoy it!
> 
> (The quote from the summary is from Game of Thrones)

__

_"The gods have no mercy, that's why they're gods"_ That was, until he met her. 

\- part i -

Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to blend into the crowds up above. To leave the sanctuary that was his palace and into the civilisation he watched build from nothing. Whilst this thought did not come across him often, in these moments of solitude, he allowed his mind to wander.

He had lived for thousands, if not millions of years. Somewhere along the way, he stopped counting, for what was the point? He was indestructible and the oldest being in the world, save for his brothers and sister, and it didn't take long for him to realise that he also had the power to choose who lived and who died, and he made sure that every creature on earth had an expiry date. He, who controlled life, he decided, was the true power.

And in this power, he relished.

His siblings did not agree with his ways and for the better part of his life, he had sent himself into self-imposed exile in the Underworld, where no one can enter without his permission, and where no one can threaten his power.

In here, endless souls of the dead pass through his gates, as he watched from his throne room. Old or young. Diseased or accidental. They all entered his Kingdom the same way: through the gates, await for trial where they would be sent to either Elysium or one of the nine circles of Hell to live out the rest of eternity.

For every moment in his immortal life, he could hear the screams and cries of the souls trapped in an eternal torture, but there was no mercy in the Underworld. There was no repentance of sins, no way to right your wrongs, it is what it is. Mercy was not how he became the most powerful God there is. That was, until he met her.

"May the Gods have mercy on me," he heard a whisper in the distance. It was clear, crisp and angelic, the kind of voice that contrasted the mutterings and groans of the dead.

It piqued his interest as he hadn't heard such a lively voice since his time in the Underworld, but at the same time, he was angered at the thought that a living soul had dared enter his domain.

Swiftly, he used his powers of apparition to appear by the doorway that separated the living and the dead. Two tall structures made of onyx and gold, and a veil of mist were the only physical things to come between the two. Yet, every living soul feared it, as there was only one way in and no way out.

He appeared behind her, and the first thing that caught his eye was her bright blonde, wavy hair that dangled to her waist, and the small flowers interwoven into her half-braid. He scrunched up his nose as he found the smell of nature all too offending and unfamiliar, and he was about to call upon his army of the dead to take her to a prison cell for her audaciousness when she turned around.

_A Goddess_ , that was his first thought when she looked at him with her electric blue eyes. But from the way he heard her heart pound at the sight of him, it was clear that she was merely a human. A mortal human, weak and unimaginably insignificant to the vast Universe. But Gods, was she beautiful.

He must have stared for a moment too long, as she began to back away from him, growing weary of the cosmic power radiating from his body, and his bident that glowed in his hand.

"Stop," his command echoed within the endless abyss of darkness, "Who dares to trespass my territory?"

He would've thought her defiant from the slight upward tilt of her head if not for the fear in her eyes, as she responded with a steady voice, "My name is Caroline, maiden of the Goddess Rebekah, and I'm here to seek for my mother's soul. She was taken from me unfairly and I am here to beg for mercy from you, Lord Niklaus"

"My sister would never take a human as a maiden in court," he scoffed incredulously.

"That is true, I am her only human subject in court, but I have been blessed with the honour when she saw the rose garden that I had built with my mother during one of her outings."

"She always had been easily distracted by pretty, little things," he commented whilst his eyes settled on her.

"I will not speak ill of Lady Rebekah and I cannot stand for it. She has always praised you for being a caring brother in your earlier years, and she was the one who permitted me to enter the Underworld to seek for your mercy."

"If she knew me at all, she would know that mercy is not in my character."

"She suspected so, but she hoped that you would remember the person you were before you became the God of Death."

"If you truly believe that, you must be a fool."

"Perhaps I may be a fool, but I am a desperate one. Please, at least allow me to say goodbye to my mother. She was taken from me so suddenly that I was not able to return in time to say my last words," Caroline confessed.

"There is only one way," he said ominously.

"I will do anything," she pleaded.

"The only way you will pass these gates is death."

She gasped at the thought of never returning to the world she loved and cherished. Her mother had always reminded her of the gift of life and how she should never let it go to waste. It felt as though she was dishonouring her memory by giving into death, but at the same time, she owed her so much and what wouldn't she give to see her one last time?

She could barely register that her eyes were glistening with unshed tears as she approached the ultimatum.

"If I die," she whispered, "Would you trade my soul for hers?"

He looked at her in shock as no one had dared bargain with Death before.

"A soul for a soul," he pondered, "You would do that for her?"

"I would do anything," she repeated, with more confidence in her tone than she felt in reality.

"Very well, I shall consider your offer," he said, intrigued by her proposal, but yet, he knew he couldn't make such hasty decisions, no matter how much she enraptured him, "For now, come with me."

Cautiously, she followed his lead, her eyes maintaining on her feet as she avoided the pits and cracks of the rocks that made up the ground. When they reached a certain point where they stood at the edge of a cliff that descended into nothingness, he gripped her hand tightly and she felt gravity leave her for a moment before they landed on their feet once more. This time, when she looked up, she stood in front of a black mansion that glistened from the fire that surrounded them.

He wasn't sure why he brought her to his palace, but he had always trusted his instinct. He didn't want to leave her amongst the endless dead souls awaiting trial, nor did she belong in any other place in his Kingdom. He felt the need to keep her safe from the monsters that lurked in the Underworld and though she did not appear to be a warrior even in her own world, she was utterly defenceless down here.

"What is this place?" She marvelled at the sheer grandeur of the palace. Though it was dark, there was a certain beauty about it.

"This," he replied, stepping into the fortress "is my home"


	2. Chapter 2

**\- part ii -**

It was a popular misconception that nothing ever blossomed in the Underworld, but he was a God and he, too, liked to indulge in the many sweet nectars from the ground above. Some may say his garden was rather impressive, spanning over acres of land, but over years of neglect, it had dwindled into a small patch just below his bedroom window. 

It shouldn’t have surprised him when the human had asked for permission to tend his garden. He didn’t question her reasonings, but he had a feeling it was to be in touch with the lands she left behind four days ago when she entered his domain. And before he had the time to consider, he had blurted out a solid yes, and he watched as her smile widened and she all but skipped towards the fields with a bucket of water and a shovel in hand. 

Yes, she had been down in the Underworld for four days, but he hadn’t been able to reach a decision regarding her offer. He knew she was anxious but she never once showed an inkling of impatience.

In fact, they had hardly seen each other since he brought her to his palace. He had the duty as the God of the Underworld to oversee the trials that occurred during the day, and by the time he was home, she would be fast asleep. 

But today was different, when he had gotten home, she was still in the garden, surrounded by his hounds. He had initially panicked, after all, his hounds were known to be vicious. But just as he was about to whistle for his pets to retreat, he heard a giggle. 

“Good boy!” Caroline praised, holding out an orange for one of the black hounds to savour. 

Realising that she was not in imminent danger, he had returned to his bedroom with the black orb he had taken from the trial room. 

Orbs were memories of a soul’s life on Earth and during each trial, his court would review their past actions to decide whether they belonged in Elysium or one of the circles of Hell. Thousands upon thousands of souls passed judgment every day and only when the court was unable to reach a verdict, would he take over the case. This particular one, just like the millions of others he had seen, had not been memorable.

He held the orb in his hand and allowed himself to concentrate on the images swirling inside the glass sphere. 

_ The first memory showed a man and woman in an old house holding a little baby.  _

_ “Elizabeth,” the woman said, “That will be her name.” _

_ The next few scenes flashed by quickly depicting her as a playful child, before showing a teenage Elizabeth meeting a man named William Forbes. _

_ They had married in a simple ceremony in a town known as Mystic Falls, and it was clear that she was well into her pregnancy. _

_ The newlyweds were once again in the same house, but this time, with a little baby of their own, who wore a knitted hat with the name Caroline sewn onto it.  _

It was here that he began to pay more attention. 

_ The child was angelic. It was easy to be enraptured by her chubby cheeks and her curly blonde hair. Even from a young age, Caroline loved nature and he supposed that was what humans did when they grew up with so little.  _

_ She was doted on by everyone, but particularly her mother, who taught her to care for flowers and fruit trees, and the two often spent time praying to his sister, Rebekah, for a season of good blossoming. It wasn’t before long when the two had grown the most beautiful garden he had ever seen. _

_ Then, the image turned smoky grey when he saw the beginnings of a crumbling marriage. As a God, he was no stranger to paramours, but it was clear that the humans did not operate the same way. The blonde girl, who was currently playing catch with his hounds, must not have been more than ten years old when she crumbled to the floor alongside her mother as they watched her father leave, bags in hand, disappearing from the fields.  _

_ Tears marred her porcelain skin and there was nothing he wanted more than to reach into the orb and take her pain away.  _

But there was nothing he could do about the past _. _

_ The next scene was of a sunny day when another blonde entered the vision. It must have been about five or six years since the last memory but the years have not been kind to Elizabeth, who became the sole provider for her small family..  _

_ He immediately recognised his sister, Rebekah, with her signature floral crown, and saw as she marvelled at the beauty of the garden.  _

_ “Lady Rebekah,” he saw Elizabeth nervously kneel before the Goddess, “It is my honour.” _

_ “Are you responsible for this garden?” Rebekah asked. _

_ “Much of it is from my daughter, Caroline,” she replied. _

_ “And where is this Caroline that you speak of?” _

_ Moments later, the girl in question was presented in front of his sister. Though she was not a goddess herself, her beauty had rivalled one.  _

_ “It is my greatest honour to meet you, Lady Rebekah,” Caroline said earnestly, as she, too, kneeled. _

_ “I have heard your prayers and I have come to see your garden myself. My ladies in court tell me that it is a wonderful sight, and they are not wrong. Tell me, how is it that you do it?” _

_ “Thank you, my Lady, you and your ladies are too kind. I have always been a curious girl and I found myself experimenting with different ways of gardening. I realised that wood ash helps them grow, and ever since then, my mother and I would go to the marketplace to trade our flowers for different types of seeds to diversify our garden. But of course, whilst each plant has their own unique way of growing, none of them would have been able to blossom without your blessing of sunlight and rain,” Caroline explained, excited to share her knowledge. _

_ “I’m very impressed, many men and women twice your age would not have possessed your wisdom. I must insist that you join my court, I would love a garden like yours,” Rebekah beamed. _

_ The expression on Caroline’s face was a mixture of disbelief and glee, but it didn’t last for long, as she turned to look at her mother.  _

_ “Lady Rebekah, I-I’m beyond honoured that you would even consider me in your court,” she began, “But… But as much as I would love to serve you, I cannot leave my mother-,” she said in dismay before she was interrupted. _

_ “Go,” Elizabeth said simply, “You must go.” _

_ “But Mother…” _

_ “It’s your chance to escape this life. I’ve always known that you were destined for something beyond this small village. Go, I will be alright,” Elizabeth smiled encouragingly, despite how much it hurt her to let her only daughter go.  _

_ Caroline took one long look at her mother and nodded, “I will visit you all the time,” she promised. _

_ The scene changed one last time and now Elizabeth was all alone. Caroline left two years ago and came to visit as often as she could, but Lady Rebekah’s court was massive and required much of her daughter’s attention.  _

_ She had to admit, being alone was more difficult than she could have ever anticipated. She was not getting any younger and soon, the gardening work became too arduous for her stiff joints and the flowers were not blooming like they used to.  _

_ Winter came by and most of them had wilted into the snow. The fire seemed less warm than it had been last winter and her weak body was making it hard for her to collect more wood. She had started coughing over the last few days, but just this morning, the disease had taken a sharp turn as she began to cough up blood.  _

_ She rested herself on a bed made from hay and reminisced the happiest moments of her life. The ones she spent with Caroline, and slowly, sleep began to take her.  _

_ Just as she was about to drift off, she heard her voice once again. _

_ “Mother!” Small, warm hands shook her. But it was too late. She had fallen asleep. _

_ And she never woke again.  _

The image from the orb slowly dissipated until it became black once more. Klaus placed it carefully back into its box and walked over to the balcony, where he sat on a chair looking down below at the girl who had invaded his thoughts since her arrival. 

He tried not to empathise with what she must have felt. She had arrived just a moment too late and was unable to say goodbye to the woman who meant most to her in the world. But he reminded himself that he must not grow soft on her, for he was the God of Death, and he cannot let emotions like sympathy and pity cloud his judgment or there would be chaos for both the living and the dead.

But that didn’t mean he was able to stop thinking about her. 

It was as though there was a moment of telepathic connection as she looked up and locked eyes with him. Wordlessly, he got on his feet and apparated to where she stood. 

“Lord Niklaus,” she curtsied politely, hiding her shock at his sudden appearance.

“Good evening, Miss Caroline,” he greeted in return, “Please, call me Klaus.”

“My Lord, I don’t think that is appropri-,” she stopped when she saw the look he gave her, “Very well, Klaus,” she tested his name on her lips so softly, it almost sounded like a prayer. 

“It’s rather late, Caroline,” he commented.

“I was restless, and your hounds distracted me from sleep. They are very playful.”

“Depends on the person they are playing with,” he said, with a slight upturn of his lips. He could recall the times his hounds had terrorised the disobedient souls of the Underworld, “Although, you’re perhaps the only living soul they have ever seen.”

“You’re very much alive.”

“If only that were true,” he said darkly. It was only since her arrival that he realised just how un-alive he felt in his own Kingdom. Surrounded by the dead, it was only fair that he became one himself. 

They had started to walk deeper and deeper into his garden, where the bright colours began to fade. 

“I do believe we have matters to discuss,” he said as they reached an old fountain that was now encased in ivy. 

She looked at him expectantly and his metaphorical heart skipped a beat. 

“I…,” He had been so sure of his decision. It was wrong of him to even consider her bargain, as he had never made any exceptions for any souls in his Kingdom. There was only one way in and no way out. Should anyone find out his moment of weakness, it would cause chaos. 

But the way she stood there with her bright blue eyes and soft smile, it was like he was the one who could grant her the world, and who was he to resist? Even a God was not powerful enough to turn her away.

_ “I accept your offer.” _


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided that instead of 4 chapters, this story will have to have at least 5 to wrap up nicely. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who have been so supportive and sending me encouraging messages about this story! Special shout-out to Kait and Madina, this chapter managed to come out today because of you!

**\- part iii -**

_“I accept your offer.”_

Her eyes widened in disbelief as his words began to sink in, “You do?” She asked, she knew it was a long shot to ask so much of him.

“I… Yes,” he confirmed, breathing out a sigh as he turned his attention to the ivy-covered fountain, “You may say goodbye to her and when she returns to the living, you may stay in my palace.”

“Your palace?” She had assumed that she would trade places with her mother. He had surprised her yet another time. 

“The Underworld is not a place for the living,” he replied. It was as though he had an inexplicable feeling to keep her safe, and the thought of her surrounded by the dead souls of the Underworld was difficult to even imagine. As full of life as she was, despair and hopelessness were contagious and he did not think he could watch her light diminish before his eyes, “You’ll be my guest at the Palace, no harm will come to you.”

“Thank you, Klaus,” she said sincerely, as she held his face lightly with one hand, as he slowly turned to look back at her. She stood on the tip of her toes and gave a kiss on his cheeks.

She felt a tingle on her lips as she lowered herself onto the soles of her feet, and it was then that she truly comprehended her actions, “I- I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have-,” she began to walk backwards. She had been bold and reckless to think that she could just kiss a God, no matter the reason, and no matter how right and completely natural it felt. 

“Caroline,” he reached out and placed a hand on her elbow, stopping her from going any further, and to her surprise, he leaned in to capture her soft lips with his own. It was the gentlest of kisses and the moment their lips touched, he felt a surge of warmth travelling through his body that was both strange and foreign, but he knew he wanted more. 

He could feel her stepping close to press her body onto his and he revelled in the way she was moulded to fit his. His hands reached into her golden locks and hers in his, and she let out a satisfied sigh as she nipped at his bottom lip. 

As pleasurable as it was, he knew he had to stop before he dishonoured her. When he pulled away, he stroked the blush that had begun to blossom on her porcelain face, as his fingers trailed down to her bright, beautiful smile. His touch was light, but ever so reassuring.

“I find myself willing to do things for you that I would never have imagined doing for anyone else. Not in all the years of my existence,” he confessed truthfully, leaning his forehead onto hers, “But I would do it all for you.”

“Klaus-,” she whispered.

He interrupted her with another kiss. It was chaste and quick, but it conveyed his emotions perfectly. He felt an unfamiliar sense of vulnerability as he opened up his heart to her. He closed his eyes, not wanting to witness her response, not daring to know if she would reciprocate. He wanted to remember this moment for what it was. Beautiful and innocent. Whatever feelings she had for him would have to be dealt with another day.

“Come on, Caroline,” he reached out for her hand, “Let’s go back to the palace, I will have someone escort you to your mother in the morning.”

They walked the stretch of the garden in silence, but with her hand firmly grasped in his, until they reached the bifurcation at the black opal parlour that led to his west wing, and the east wing that she was staying in.

“Good night Caroline,” he said, lifting her hand to his lips, “Sweet dreams, love.”

He released her hand and walked towards his bedroom.

“Wait,” she called out, as he turned around, “Thank you, again.”

He nodded, “My pleasure.”

“Good night,” she whispered as the darkness engulfed his figure.

* * *

When she woke up, the first thought she had was the recollection of their kiss from the night before. She touched her lips, as the memories resurfaced vividly in her mind. That was, until logic and reason settled in. 

_I kissed a God,_ she panicked, _And not just any God, but the one known to be the most ruthless and powerful._

It was not lost on her how acutely consequential her actions may be. Should he live up to his temper, he could banish her to the depths of the Underworld without so much as lifting his bident.

But somehow, she had an inkling he wouldn’t, if everything he had done for her over the past few days were any indication. He treated her with utmost respect and courtesy, in such a way that it was difficult to think of Klaus and the God of Death as the same person that she had heard so much of. 

There were a few short knocks on her bed chamber doors and she briefly wondered who would be behind it. Of all her days in the Underworld, she had met no one but Klaus, but she knew that he was rarely around the palace in the morning.

Cautiously, because you could never know what’s lurking around in this unfamiliar world, she opened the door to which revealed a young man dressed head to toe in black. There was something about him that suggested he wasn’t just another soul in the Underworld. 

“My lady,” he greeted formally, “Lord Klaus would like to see you in the Room of Remembrance.”

The room in question turned out to be outside of the palace and across the Mnemosyne, one of the main rivers that ran through the Underworld storing memories of the dead souls. The water was crystal clear, sparkling with effervescent bubbles that floated to its surface. She wanted to dip her fingers into it, to feel its light waves oscillating against her skin, but she knew better of the dangers that could come with touching something that emanated such power. 

There was a small wooden boat waiting for them at the banks of the river and the young man helped her in. She was momentarily surprised at his corporeal presence, and noted that her hand didn’t fall straight through his. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name,” she said once the two were settled inside the boat, “I’m Caroline,” she added as an afterthought. 

“My name is Marcellus, Commander of the army,” he replied swiftly, “And I know who you are, my lady, I’ve been given strict instructions to take you to our destination safely.”

“Thank you for escorting me, Sir Marcellus. I hadn’t known of an army residing in the Underworld, although I must admit I’m not familiar with this realm, my Lady Rebekah never divulged much of the happenings down here, but I’m sure she would have informed us if there was an uprising.”

“Worry not, my lady, the Underworld is at peace at the moment, but we have to be prepared for any event. Civil wars are quite common. Of course, it’s bound to happen when dead souls become restless and tired for their eternal punishment.”

“Speaking of which, and I hope you pardon me for asking, but you don’t seem… dead,” she vocalised her earlier thoughts. 

“I’m what you would perhaps refer to as the _un_ dead,” he said, his eyes wandered off into the distance as he began to recall events of the past, “There are many kinds of beings down here in the Underworld apart from dead souls, creatures like centaurs, hydras, harpies and of course, vampires, like myself. In fact, most creatures here are _undead_ , alive in our own way, and we can roam freely in all corners of the Underworld, unlike the mortal souls who are bound to their fate in the circles of Hell.”

“Or Elysium,” she added.

“Or Elysium, for the few lucky ones, anyway.”

She noted the hint of darkness in his voice, it wasn’t sinister, yet it felt empty and desolate, and she couldn’t help but shiver at the implications of his words.

“And my mother?” She inquired, dread filling her throat as she imagined her poor mother living in the pits of Hell. 

“I’m not privy to the fates of the mortal souls, my lady,” Marcel said truthfully, “This is information that only Lord Klaus, the jury of the dead and the Furies who guard the souls possess, I’m afraid.”

“I understand,” she said, not knowing whether she was disappointed or relieved in not knowing, “So, were you always a vampire?” She asked, changing the subject.

“You mean, was I born a vampire?” She nodded, “No, I was a human, but I was a fighter in my mortal days, but one day I was attacked by a dozen men and even with my skills, I didn’t stand a chance. When I arrived in the judgement room, Lord Klaus was impressed by what he had seen in my memory orb and turned me into a vampire himself.”

“And how did he do that?”

“I had to drink from the River Lethe to forget my mortal memories, then I was immersed in the River Styx on the night of the full moon, and the water in that river… well, it’s not something you would even want to spend a second drenched in.”

“That sounds awful, I’m so sorry you had to go through it.”

“I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful, my lady. I’m honoured to be a vampire. I have the strength and power that is unattainable in any mortal soul and fighting has always been my forte. Even though I can’t remember it, it’s in my bones, I can feel it.”

“So you can’t remember anything at all from your previous life?”

“Just the basics, like my name and how I died, but not much else. Lord Klaus had allowed me to watch my memory orb, but it felt foreign, like I was an outsider peering through the glass. Seeing and experiencing are entirely different. To become a vampire, I had to leave my old life behind and I was fully aware of that when I turned.”

“But your family?”

“My family would be better off without me. Besides, even if I remembered them, it’s unlikely we would reunite down here. As a fighter, I had murdered people for my own reasons, and for that, I would have been sentenced to an eternity in Hell. Somehow I don’t think my family would be there, and if they were, I don’t think I would want to witness them suffer alongside me everyday.”

She nodded in agreement as it pained her immensely to imagine her mother suffering. 

“We’re here,” Marcellus said, as he paddled the boat near the shore. It was clear that they had arrived at the edge of Elysium, as the lands resembled the vast grasslands above ground. Not far from the river was an off-white building, with Grecian columns lining its entrance. 

“Welcome to Judicium, this is where Lord Klaus spends the majority of his day,” Marcellus explained, gesturing to the grandiose structure, “It holds the Room of Remembrance on one side, where you will be meeting him, and the judgement room on the other.”

He led her through several doorways until they reached a room, larger than any she had seen. The walls were lined with black orbs, but otherwise had little to no decoration. 

“He will be with you shortly.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed it, please leave a kudos/bookmark/comment as that really encourages me to write more!


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